Niseko Now: Friday 12th December 2014
- Dec 12, 2014
- 4 min read
Independent snow and weather reporting from the Niseko region of Hokkaido
New snowfall at base 15cm
Snowfall at base this season 186cm
Posted on Friday 12th December 2014 This is an archived report. The latest Niseko Now report can be found here
It feels very cold out there this morning and some very low temperatures being reported by the resorts. Need to go out prepared. For cold as well as fun. Light snow continues to fall as I write this and there's another 15-20cm of fresh snow to report here at base since yesterday.
There's more on the way as well with this low pressure system set to deliver large amount of snow to many areas of Japan this weekend. Hopefully we'll be part of the fun there.
There may be a slight easing after the weekend but it's generally snowmen all lined up on the weather forecasts. Niseko isn't the place to come for a high chance of clear skies and sun, that's for sure.
Some more runs open at Niseko Grand Hirafu now and there's another lift moving at Niseko Annupuri... we're getting there! It surely won't be long now before the resorts are all fully open.
So yes, nighta will be starting up for the season from tomorrow night when part of the mountain will be open and floodlit until 8pm.
Someone has asked about the snow depth numbers shown on the page here below. Namely the one that today shows Niseko Grand Hirafu with 160cm on upper slopes and the adjoining Niseko Village with just 80cm. Personally I would say just don't read too much into it, though Hirafu always seem to bring in the larger numbers. They are simply the official snow depth numbers that the resorts post each day. The most important number to look at I reckon is how much snow is falling each day - we all like that fresh layer don't we. In my experience, different people will give you different numbers -- even if they are actually looking at exactly the same spot. I try to give you an 'accurate' (honest) number each day as I observe around me each morning.
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Exciting news as well this morning of 10 free Niseko All Mountain lift tickets that will be part of the SnowJapan Prize Draw this season on this here website, coming to you courtesy of the kind people at Hanazono Niseko Japan. Details will be online later in the day on SnowJapan, and I'll post a link as well tomorrow in the report so you can enter if you so wish.
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Here's what is planned to be open this morning:
Niseko Grand Hirafu
Courses: Family Course, Sen-no-ki, Alpen, Detour for Beginners, Green, Center, Shirakaba, Kokutai, Kogen, Ni-Kabe, Jumbo, Parallel, Rinkan (lowe), Setsuzoku, Jumbo, Parallel
Lifts: Ace Family Lift, Ace Number 2 Center Four lift, Ace Number 3 lift, Hirafu Gondola, King Number 3 Triple lift, Swinging Monkey.
Niseko Hanazono
Courses: Stairway to Heaven, Silver Dream, Legend of Shinya, Yotei Sunset, Crystal Garden
Lifts: All 3 quad lifts operating
Niseko Village
Courses: Final Fling, Shaky Knees, Next Stage, Banzai, Cruiser, Don't Blink, beginners course from Gondola, Junkyard, Namara (part ungroomed), Jagaimo (ungroomed), Misoshiru (ungroomed)
Lifts: Niseko Gondola, Community Chair, Banzai Chair
Niseko Annupuri
Courses: Paradise, Family, Challenge, Marchen, Dynamic, Junior, Utopia, Shirakaba, Silver (9 out of 13 courses open)
Lifts: Annupuri Gondola, Jumbo Number 1 Quad, Jumbo Number 2 Pair, Jumbo Number 3 Pair
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Nighta is scheduled to open from Saturday 13th December. Just 2 more nights to go!
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Official snow depth numbers at the time of writing:
Grand Hirafu / Hanazono:
Top - 160cm
Base - 90cm
Niseko Village:
Top - 80cm
Base - 50cm
Annupuri:
Top - 130cm
Base - 90cm
Niseko Now 2014-2015 season |
Data as of Friday 12th December 2014 Total snowfall at base so far 186cm Number of days snowfall observed at base 16 days Most snowfall observed in 1 day 40cm (7th December) November 2014 snowfall 30cm reported on 5 days December 2014 snowfall 156cm reported on 11 days |
All snowfall data presented on this page is the snowfall measured and observed at base/town level by our reporter based in Kutchan/Niseko. The 'new snowfall' number represents the amount of snow measured since the previous report. All opinions are those of the individual reporters. Information regarding ski area operations is manually checked every morning and is believed to be correct at the time of the report.